Nordstrom apologizes after calling police on black teens
The retailer faces backlash after police were called on three young men shopping for the prom. Will its apology be enough, or has the tactic worn thin for the African-American community?
An ill-considered call to the police, in today’s social media climate, can spur a PR disaster.
Many companies have struggled to establish clear guidelines for employees who might suspect inappropriate behavior in their stores, as well as how to handle the confrontation. As social media users start to document such interactions, a local misstep can quickly become a national headache, a la Starbucks and L.A. Fitness.
The latest company, Nordstrom, is apologizing after employees called the police on three African-American teens shopping for prom outfits.
Mekhi Lee, Eric Rogers and Dirone Taylor were shopping at the Nordstrom Rack on Thursday when they noticed store employees closely eyeing them and following them through the aisles. Lee has just completed his freshman year of college and was with his longtime friends, Taylor and Rogers, who were shopping for prom.
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